But his trainer, Danny O'Brien, believes he remains right on track for the Guineas at Flemington - the sort of race in which success would enhance his value as a stallion.

Until the son of Snitzel scores again at the highest level there will be critics who will regard his Cox Plate triumph - when he shouldered a featherweight and took advantage of an inside gate - as a one off.

O'Brien was bullish about Shamus Award's prospects leading into the Moonee Valley race and is optimistic that the best is yet to come with a horse who will be seen to greater advantage over further than the Orr's 1400 metres.

"We are very happy, the winner's obviously run right up to his best so take nothing away from him - he made all the running at a good tempo and we were flat out two and three lengths off him," he said.

"Shamus did all the chasing and Eurozone's got past him but we were entitled to hit the wall a bit first up. Inside the hundred he started to feel the pinch, but that will have him perfectly where we want him for the Australian Guineas in three weeks.